The Banner
In This Issue:
1. We’re Almost There
2. The Importance of Reservations
3. The Annual Candlelight Service Wrap Up/Recording
4. Christmas Eve Services – Dec. 24, 6 & 8 p.m.
5. Worship Details for This Coming Sunday – Dec. 27
6. Bereavement
7. End of Year Giving
8. Starting Local/Going Global – Final Update
9. Anniversary/Communion Sunday – Jan. 3
10. Can You Assist Our Friends the Bannisters?
11. It’s Annual Report Time
12. The New Life Cupboard is Bare
13. This Week @ BSBC
14. January Birthdays
1. A Note from Pastor Greg: We're Almost There
It seems like just a moment ago that your church staff began to talk about Christmas ministry in the age of COVID-19. And now, here we are, one step away from Christmas Eve. But, for many, a different Christmas Eve.
A different Christmas
Some of you who annually attend church on Christmas Eve, will, this year, go to ‘church’ online. And for those who attend in-person, there won’t be warm handshakes or hugs (which I will miss!) on the way out the door.
Sadly, some will celebrate Christmas day, perhaps for the first time, without familiar faces and voices at the table. And, while the situation in New Brunswick, in comparison to other areas of Canada, is a reason for thanksgiving, people we know and love face implications that cause us concern that not even the celebration of Christmas will dismiss.
God With Us
In light of all this and to encourage you to complete the journey to “Bethlehem”, let me share a piece of writing from Chuck Swindoll:
Then, as the year draws to a close, Christmas offers its wonderful message. Emmanuel. God with us. He who resided in Heaven, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, willingly descended into our world. He breathed our air, felt our pain, knew our sorrows and died for our sins. He didn’t come to frighten us, but to show us the way to eternal warmth and safety.
As we embrace Christmas 2020, may it be with the confidence that Bethlehem affirms that God IS with us. On behalf of your church staff, I wish the blessing of “eternal warmth and safety” through Jesus Christ.
Pastor Greg
2. The Importance of Making a Reservation
As you plan your Christmas and Sunday service attendance for the remainder of the year, can we ask for your help?
Please, make a reservation in advance.
This is exceptionally helpful in our planning. With limited seating for our special Christmas services, we want to be sure that everyone who wants to come can be seated and that we can contact people in advance if we can’t accommodate them.
And, if you have a change of plan, please email the church office to let us know. We look forward to a wonderful celebration of Jesus’ coming!
3. The Candlelight Services
This past Saturday and Sunday evenings we were pleased to be able to offer our Annual Candlelight Service. Each of these nights, over 130 congregants, musicians and technical team took part.
This year, the offering was designated to support the work of the Fredericton Community Kitchens and it totalled $1,736.55. We trust this will be a means of blessing in Jesus’ name. My thanks to all who made sacrifices to bring these evenings before the Lord.
If you missed the services, you can now visit our website and watch the recording of the Saturday evening service. Our thanks to Anthony Brown for making this production a possibility.
4. Christmas Eve
Following our usual pattern, we’re offering two Christmas Eve services at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Both services will be live-streamed on Facebook, so that you can attend in-person or from the comfort of your home. Just visit our website at 6 or 8 p.m. and you will be able to tune in to the live service. Otherwise, you can tune in anytime after on our website.
Your pastors are “cooking up” something special for the 6 p.m. service that we hope will be memorable! The 8 p.m. service will be, as usual, a bit more reflective. Don’t forget to make your reservation for in-person attendance.
5. Combined Worship this Sunday, Jan. 27
This coming Sunday morning our church family will gather in the sanctuary for a combined service. Pastor Steve will be bringing a devotional message, some of our youth will be sharing in leadership, we’ll have a last “sing” of the songs of Christmas and we’ll consider what we’ve learned from God during this “unprecedented” year.
Join us online or in-person
Come as a sign of your thankfulness for Jesus, the “indescribable gift” – or tune in on Facebook Live. As always, the recording of the service will be available for viewing on our website. To make your reservation for in-person worship, please click below.
6. Bereavement
Please be in prayer for the family of the Late Marie Roberts, who passed away on Friday, Dec. 18 at Hospice Fredericton.
Marie had been a lifelong member of BSBC, years ago, actively involved in our Education ministry and, until mobility prevented her, she attended the Thursday Ladies’ Bible Study. Her husband, the Late Clive Roberts, predeceased her in 2010. She was pleased to know that last year, the sanctuary nativity scene, created many years ago by Clive, had been renewed. Just over a week ago, we talked about its role in this year’s celebrations.
Marie always had BSBC on her heart and lived with a beautiful love for Jesus. Her funeral service is planned for the spring with the hopes that the Atlantic Bubble will be back in place so that family from Nova Scotia can attend. Please be in prayer for her daughters, Susan and Mary, as they make their way through the celebration of Christmas.
Pastor Greg
7. End of the Year Giving
Sincere thanks to our church family for your faithfulness to financial giving in support of the varied ministries of BSBC.
As we approach the end of 2020, I wanted to remind you of our $18,000 goal for the special Christmas offering in addition to our desire to meet our budgeted income goal for 2020. Offerings can be dropped off at the church office during business hours up to noon on Thursday, Dec. 31.
Any gifts received after noon on Dec. 31 will be receipted as given in 2021. E-Transfer gifts will be accepted up to 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31 as there will be a bank record of that gift arriving in 2020.
Thank you for prayerfully considering the opportunity to give.
Ken Reimer, Treasurer
8. Starting Local Going Global - Financial Update
Once again, our church family has shown a sacrificial love when asked to make an impact in Jesus’ name.
Thank you
We thank you for supporting both the Local and Global projects. As we move toward the new year and these gifts continue to be disbursed, please pray that they will be anointed for Kingdom building and leading to freedom both temporal and spiritual.
Pastor Greg
Giving As of Dec. 20
Local: $10,225
Global: $9,825
11. It's Annual Report Time
Don’t forget that all Annual Reports are due before Friday, Jan. 4! Please be considerate of this deadline.
Report information can be emailed directly to the church office at bsbc@bsbc.nb.ca or dropped off at the office in typewritten form, if possible.
Thank you,
Janet Mitchell
12. The New Life Cupboard is Bare
In January, New Life had enough non-perishable food stipends to last the rest of the year. Then COVID-19 hit, and the group shut down until this October.
Before we opened, we went through the dates on all the food and 3/4 of it was either past date or nearing. We made use of the near expired food but could not give away the majority. Thus, the cupboards are very, very bare at this time. We need your help.
To reopen in the new year, we need to restock the shelves and your help will be invaluable. We will need:
Kraft Dinner
cookies
canned veggies
canned tomatoes
canned ham, chicken, turkey, tuna, fruit
spaghetti sauce
dry pasta
cereal
crackers
canned pasta
canned brown beans
Cheese Whiz
peanut butter
canned/bottled/boxed fruit juices
toilet paper
Kleenex
paper towel
boxed potatoes.
Thank you, in advance, as the small bag of groceries we give each week helps our participants.
Rhonda MacLure-Perrin
13. This Week at BSBC
Wednesday, Dec. 23
12:00 Prayer Time with Pastor Charles (Facebook Live)
6:00 Vocal Ensemble (Choir Room)
Thursday, Dec. 24
12:00 Church Office Closes at Noon
6:00 First Christmas Eve Service (Sanctuary/Facebook Live)
8:00 Second Christmas Eve Service (Sanctuary)
Friday, Dec. 25
May you and yours have a blessed Christmas!
Your Church Staff
Saturday, Dec. 26
Boxing Day
Sunday, Dec. 27
10:30 In-Person Combined Worship Service (Sanctuary/Online)
Monday, Dec. 28
Church Office Closed (for Boxing Day)
Wednesday, Dec. 30
12:00 Prayer Time with Pastor Charles (Sanctuary/Online)
14. January Birthdays
Happy Birthday to all celebrating in the coming month! Stop by our website for the full list of January Birthdays.
YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Dr. Keith Bodner, Preaching Pastor
Pastor Greg Geldart, Lead Pastor
Pastor Jim McLellan, Pastor of Senior’s Visitation
Pastor Charles Millette, Missionary in Residence
Pastor Steve Patterson, Outreach Pastor
Pastor Changbin Tian, Pastor to the Chinese Congregation
